Why does it have to be this way?
by Biguptheworldofoutsiders
Summary: As deep as a bucket. like me.includes, steve, pony, oc, johnny, soft fluffy angst
1. Chapter 1

"Ella, I don't understand. Why the hell are you friends with that guy?" My brother yelled in my face. Steve was always like this, I usually yelled back, but we where talking about Damien, and by god, he was my best friend. I didn't care that Soda and Pony where starring at me. I didn't care. I looked up from my homework book.

"Because in third grade some soc came up to me and hissed something dirty in my ear. And Damien. Damien came up to me and did exactly the same thing, but in my other ear and do you know what he said…?" My brother was starring at me like I'd grown another head, I was grinning now, My brother has never looked so confused. "He told me that the world belonged to people like him. And if we wanted to, we could let them have it. But it would never be there's." Silence filled the room, I looked down at my books. Damien was the bomb.

The reason he wasn't appreciated by my brother and his friends was because he lived in a nice house, with nice parents, with a nice dog. People hated him for it. This was Tulsa and it was just the way things worked, greaser's or soc's. No in between. It wasn't allowed. Maybe that's why my brother was so angry. I was starting to write the same word over and over again, I was lucky because no one had seemed to notice.

"He's a soc." Said Steve out of the blue.

"He's my best friend." I looked up again, pen on the paper. "Like Soda is yours."

"Don't you bring Soda into this!" Steve angered pointing a sharp finger at me. I looked at Soda, he was watching Pony who was watching me. His eyes where sort of wide. Now I've never spoken to Ponyboy Curtis before, I've never spoken to any of the gang before, only Soda. Because he was nice to me. He was a real doll, sort of like Pony and Darry, but he didn't show it. He wasn't like Steve. He hadn't been corrupted yet. I wonder if I could fix Steve. Is there even anything to fix.

"I'm sorry," I said looking back down at my books, I don't know how the hell I could stay so mellow. Usually I'd have hit him in the face by now.

"What?" said Steve. Enough, I'd had enough. There was no breaking through at least not tonight.

"It's almost seven, Lusty Louisey is waiting outside." I said into my books. I heard a chuckle from Soda's direction. Good old Soda.

"Come on man," I heard him say. Steve wasn't beaten yet.

"I'm not leaving Ella with Johnny and your brother alone." He said, talking about Pony with venom. Maybe that was why Pony was so sweet, because my brother didn't like him.

"Darry'll be home soon," He murmured, wrestling Steve towards the door. There was a groan as Steve was successfully dragged though the door, but not before Soda yelled;

"Johnny look after the kids!"

"I'm not a kid!" yelled Pony back, I looked up, his cheeks where red and he looked quite angry. Johnny had appeared by the cool box, looking shaken up, he always looked like that these days, Him and Pony sat down opposite me on the table. They where my favourite guys of by brother's gang. I got them. At least I thought I did. That must count for something.

"What you doing?" asked Pony, looking down at the word I had just written countless times, it just happened to be the word…Moron. I wrote the words 'I'm not allowed to talk to you' neatly on a piece of paper and slid it across the desk. Johnny read it too. My aim of today, was to get Johnny to speak, without speaking myself.

"How come?" asked pony, his voice real soft. I bet he spoke to a lot of girls like that. Nicely. You didn't get that these days.

I responded with a picture of Steve, with horns and a tale, it was a cheap shot but it made them both laugh.

"We won't tell." Said Pony. He was as nice as his brother really. Soda not Darry. Darry was terrifying. I looked up from my books again. Johnny had some fresh bruises on his face, I wondered if I should disinfect them…no it was too soon. He'd get scared off. "You don't have to be scared of us like you are Steve." I snapped.

"I'm not scared of my brother!" I yelled at him, suddenly at my feet, "Steve would never hurt me you understand? He ain't like that, I don't want you thinking he's like that. He ain't. He's the best brother I've got and you…you don't know him at all. Soda does. Soda likes him. You should too."

I sat back down suddenly, pulling my chair too far forward and pushing my stomach into the table in front of me. They didn't notice but it hurt like hell.

"He didn't mean that." Said Johnny, he had the voice of an angel. I swear he did.

"Yes he did." I said, continuing writing the word moron over and over again. "He hates my brother."

"He hates me." Said Pony, leaning into the table. Emotion in his voice.

"He treats you the same as he does me." I say after a moment, I knew my brother didn't hate me, when mom died he cried his eyes out, I held him till he stopped. I told me everything then, things changed forever, I saw my big brother then, not what he was on the outside. That was Tulsa.

"No more arguing," said Johnny after a moment.

I smiled at Johnny he was like no one I knew. "Sorry Johnny/Pony, I didn't realise…it's just he's my brother. you know?"

Johnny nodded slightly, "it's okay Ella," said Ponyboy. He smiled one of those smiles that could give his brother run for his money. I looked down quickly before I had chance to stare.


	2. Chapter 2

-

That's it. My world is over, Tears where rolling down my cheeks, I couldn't get them to stop I hope that no one finds me. Some soc girls walked past, looking at me with disgust, it just made me cry some more. I buried my head in my hands. There was no place to go, home there was my dad…oh it's awful.

I felt someone sit down beside me, I'd been found.

"Ella, what's the matter?" I looked up quickly recognizing the voice, I let out a cry, wrapping my arms around Ponyboy. He stiffened at first but after about 10 minutes he was alright with me sobbing into his neck. His shirt was getting wet…

"I 'm sorry," I whimpered, my voice was tiny like it was shaking. I was shaking. "I've gotten your shirt all wet…"

"It's okay Ella," he whispered, his voice quite strong, I hadn't noticed that before. "What's the matter?" He asked. That strong voice again. God, he smelled like home.

"I'm sick of it Pony," I whispered, I pulled myself into his shirt, that shirt that smelt of home. "I wish it would all stop".

"It'll be better soon," he said, "I promise it will."

Then right then, I had this feeling. I believed him. It would, everything would work out.  
"Can I come back with you?" I asked, Pony didn't say anything he just helped me up and held my hand as we walked over to my house. Pony was one of the good ones, I hope he marries a pretty girl, someone to stand by him, a nice soc. Not one of those phonies.

"Pony why do they do it?" I don't know why, but it felt like Pony had all the answers, every single one.


End file.
